Infant&#39;s shoe tree



Aug. 20, 1963 .1. R. MOORE INFANT'S sHoE TREE Filed Dec. 5. 1960 run;

United States Patent O 3,169,991 INFANTS SHGE TREE .lames R. Moore, 1K0. Box 384, Manitowoc, Wis. Filed Dec. 5, 19u59, Ser. No. 73,352 Claims. (PCi. 12-11/.2)

This invention relates to shoe trees, and more particular-ly to a shoe tree adapted for use with infants shoes.

The general object of the present invention is to provide a novel shoe tree of simplied construction adapted for use` with shoes of various sizes.

Another object is to provide a shoe tree which holds itself in the shoe in ta novel manner.

A further object is tto provide a shoe tree having novel means for forcing the tree into shoe supporting position in the shoe.

Still another object is to provide a novel shoe tree which is inexpensive to manufacture.

A still further object is to provide a novel shoe tree that is capable of being folded into a compact form for purposes of storage or shipment, or into an elongated form for hanging. t

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE l is an enlarged side elevational view of a shoe tree embodying the features of the present invention and showing the position of the parts thereof during insertion of the tree in a shoe, the latter being shown in dottedlines;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIGURE l, but showing the position ofthe parts of the tree during removal thereof from a shoe; i

FIG. 3 is a Iperspective view of the tree as the latter would appear when hung in a vertical position; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view on a reduced scale, showing the arrangement of the parts of the tree as they would appear when the tree is folded into a compact form for shipment or storage.

Briefly described, the .present invention contemplates a novel shoe tree construction for shaping the toe portion of a shoe, particularly an infants shoe, when the latter is not in use. The shoe tree comprises a toe-piece adapted to be inserted into the toe portion of a shoe and an elongated member or handle pivotally connected to lthe rear portionV of the toe-piece for effecting movement of the toe-piece into and out of shoe supporting position. According to Ithe present invention, thel toe-piece is of a resilient material, such as rubber or the like, and has an exterior surface which tends to grip the shoe to hold the tree in place. When inserted in a shoe, only the 'toe-piece of the tree engages the shoe,

and the @toe-piece is of such size that it may fit various sizes of shoes. Manipulation of the handle in opposite directions from an` upright position will effect engagement or disengagement of the toe-piece from the toe portion of the shoe.

A shoe tree embodying the features of the present invention is illustrated in the drawing, and is indicated generally at 10. In FIGS. 1 and 2, the shoe tree 1t) isl shown in conjunction with a typical infants shoe, iu-` dicated generally at 11 in dotted lines. It will be understood that, while the shoe tree is particularly adapted for use with an infants shoe, a shoe tree embodying the same features but of suitable size could be used with adults shoes. Y

The shoe tree 1li comprises a toe-piece '12 which in this instance is of a block-like shape corresponding generally to the interior shape of the toe pontion, indicated at 13, of the infants shoe 11. To this end, the toe- Patented Auf-7. 2Q, 1963 ICC piece 12 has its front end 14 beveled or rounded downwardly as at 16 to conform to the interior of the toe portion `13. The toe-piece 12 is preferably symmetrical and therefore capable of being used in either a right or left shoe.V The lower surface, indicated at 17, of the toe-piece 12 may be substantially flat for surface-tosurface engagement Iwith the inner sole, indicated at 18, yof theshoe 11 when the tree 10 is in an operable position therewith.

According to the present invention, the toe-piece 12 is of a material that is adapted to stay in place when inserted in the toe portion of a shoe. To this end, the toe-piece has an extern-al surface such as tends to grip the interior of the shoe. For this reason, the toe-piece l12 is made of rubber, which has been found to be a satisfactory material for this purpose. The toe-piece may, however, be constructed of other material having the same properties, such as resilient plastic. The size of the toe-piece 12 approximates that of the interior dimensions of the toe portion 13 of the shoe with which it is to be used, and may be made in a size suitable for a range of sizes of shoes. In order to facilitate molding of the toe-piece 12 to a block-like shape and to facilitate deformation thereof to lill the interior 13` of the shoe 11 when the tree lil is use, a pair of cylindrical recesses `19 are provided in lthe lower surface 17 of the toe-piece.

The shoe tree 10 also includes an elongated member 2@ serving as a handle to move the toepiece into and out of shaping engagement with the toe portion of a shoe. The elongated member is so formed and is secured to the toe-piece in such a manner that movement of the member in opposite directions from an upright position is effective to move the toe-piece into and out of such engagement. To this end, the elongated member or handle 2t) comprises a channel (FIG. 3) having its lower end mounted in a slot 21 formed in the rear end of the toepiece 12. The member 2i) is pivotally secured in the slot 21 by a pin 22 extending transversely of the toe-piece 12 and through the lower end of the member 20. While the member 2lb may be made of wood or plastic, it preferably is made of metal, in this instance aluminum. The flanges, indicated at 23, of `the channel member 20 are lengthened transversely or forwardly, as at 24, at the lower endof Vthe member 20 to provide a foot portion 25 that extends transversely of and forwardly from the t member 20. The pin 22 extends through the lengthened flanges 24.

Initially, the shoe tree 19 is inserted into the Shoe 11, and the toe-piece 12 is shifted forwardly into the toe portion 13 by use of the member'or handle 20, with the lower surface 17 of the toe-piece 12 resting flat against the inner sole 18. However, in order to force the toepiece 12 into full shaping engagement with the toe p0rtion 13 of the shoe, the handle 2@ is so constructed that by tilting movement it frictionally engages the inner sole 13 and limparts further movement of the toe-piece 12 into the toe portion 13 to effect shaping of the toe portion. Thus, by tilting the handle 20 forwardly, as indicated in `full lines in FIG. l, from its upright position indicated in dotted lines, the front lower edge, indicated at 26, of the foot 25 frictionally engages the inner sole 18 of the shoe to thereby force the toe-piece 12 forwardly. When thus forced into the toe portion 13, the toe-piece 12 will be held in position, due to the frictional engagement between the outer surface of the toe-piece 12 and the interior of the toe portion. If one movement of the handle `Ztl to its full line position is insufficient to move the toepiece 12 fully into the toe portion 13, the handle 20 may be repeatedly pivoted in order to elect the desired movement of the toe-piece 12.

In order to facilitate shifting of the toe-piece 12 for- E wardly into full shaping engagement with the toe portion 13' of the shoe 11 and to prevent damage to the material of the inner sole 18, a resilient rectangular-shaped block member 27, preferably of rubber, is mounted. between the lengthened flanges 24 of the member 20 for engagement with the inner sole 18. To this end, the lengthened anges 24' have their lower edges 28 bent inwardly toward each other (FIGS. 3 and 4), and the block member 27" isprovided with a pair of longitudinally extending grooves 29 in the Vsides thereof to receive the inturned edges 2S. The block 27 is so mounted between the flanges 24 that the lower surface thereof, indicated at 30, will be substantially iiush with .the lower surface 17 of the toe-piece when the member 20 or handle is in an upright position. -In order to increase the gripping action of the lower surface 30 of the block 27, a pair of transverse grooves 31 may be provided in the lower surface 30 at the front and rear ends thereof. The block 27 and lengthened iianges 24 thus comprise the foot 25 at the lower end of the handle or member 20.

The pin 22. extends through the block 27 and prevents longitudinal shifting thereof relative to the lengthened anges' 24. -In order to prevent the pin 22 from shifting transversely in the toe-piece 12 and block 27 after assembly of the member 20 with the toepiece 12, the opening in thence-piece 12 and block 27 through which the pin 22.1eXtends is somewhat undersized, and the pin is provided with a reduced diameter portion or groove 32 (FIGS. 1 andv 2) adjacent one end thereof, the rubber of the toe-piece squeezing into the groove 32.

To eect removal of fthe shoe tree from an engaged position within the toe portion 13, it is only necessary to pivot the handle rearwardly from its upright position, shown in dotted lines in FIG. 2, to its full line position. Such movement causes the rear lower edge, indicated at 33ofV the block 27 to grip the inner sole 18 of the shoe and thus pull the toe-piece 12 rearwardly or out of engagement with the toe portion 13. It may, however, be necessary to repeatedly pivot the handle 20 rearwardly in order.. to overcome the frictional engagement of the toe-piece 121 with the toe portion 13 and move the -toepiece to a point where it is no longer held in the toe portion.`

,It will thus be apparent that the shoe tree 10 is easily insertedv and removed from a shaping position in the toe portion 13of a shoe4 by manipulation vof the handle 20 in opposite directions from an upright position.

Since the pin 22 is disposed forwardly of the handle 20' when mounted in the-rear end of the toe-piece 12, the handle 20 may be pivoted forwardly when the tree is not in use and Ainto engagement with the'toe-piece 12 as illustrated in FIG. 4, so that the tree has a compact form for shipmentv or storage. To permit hanging the tree in a vertical position,v as indicated in FIG. 3, the

handle 20 may be swung into a position in substantial longitudinal alignment with the toe-piece 12 and hung from the free end of the handle 20. To this end, the free end of the handle may be provided with an opening 34 therethrough.

I claim:

1. A shoe tree adapted -for use with an infants shoe vcomprising a toe-piece generally shaped to fit the interior of the toe portion of the shoe, and an elongated member pivotally secured'to said toe-piece, said member normally disposed in upright position and having a sole engaging portion for shifting said toe-piece into and out of interfitting engagement with said toe portion upon pivotal movement of said member in an appropriate direction, said sole 'engaging portion being located to engage the inner sole tion extends forwardly from said member and the pivotalaxis of Said memberV extends through said transversely extending portion forwardly of said member, said member being pivotable into engagement with the upper surface of said toe-piece, said member also being pivotable away from said toe-piece `and into generally longitudinal alignment with -said toe-piece whereby the assembly will han-g in a verticalv position from the free end of y said member.

3. A shoe tree according to lclaim 1', in which' saidl sole' engaging portion includes a rubber block carried at the` lower end of said member, yandl said block comprising -frictional means'forl engaging and gripping the inner sole to facilitate shifting of said toe piece.

4. A shoe tree according to claim 3, in which said member is a channel having its flanges lengthened transversely at the lower end thereof to providel a mounting for said block therebetween.

5. A shoe tree according toclaim4 4, in whichth'e lower edges of said lengthened flanges are bent inwardly toward each other, and said block is provided with a pair of longitudinal grooves to receive said inturned lower v edges;

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Lee Mar. 17, 1891 Delano Oct. 18, 1904 Drew Dec. 13, 1904v 

1. A SHOE TREE ADAPTED FOR USE WITH AN INFANT''S SHOE COMPRISING A TOE-PIECE GENERALLY SHAPED TO FIT THE INTERIOR OF THE TOE PORTION OF THE SHOE, AND AN ELONGATED MEMBER PIVOTALLY SECURED TO SAID TOE-PIECE, SAID MEMBER NORMALLY DISPOSED IN UPRIGHT POSITION AND HAVING A SOLE ENGAGING PORTION FOR SHIFTING SAID TOE-PIECE INTO AND OUT OF INTERFITTING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID TOE PORTION UPON PIVOTAL MOVEMENT OF SAID MEMBER IN AN APPROPRIATE DIRECTION, SAID SOLE ENGAGING PORTION BEING LOCATED TO ENGAGE THE INNER SOLE OF THE SHOE AT A POINT SPACED FROM THE TOE AND FROM THE HEEL OF THE SHOE, SAID TOE-PIECE HAVING AN EXTERIOR SURFACE TENDING TO GRIP THE SHOE TO MAINTAIN THE TOE-PIECE IN AN ENGAGED POSITION IN SAID TOE PORTION. 